


Back to the start

by sp_ace_witch



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Babies, Developing Friendships, F/F, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Young
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 12:00:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24969352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sp_ace_witch/pseuds/sp_ace_witch
Summary: Catra came to the Horde in a cardboard box and Adora decided she wanted to keep her.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 176





	Back to the start

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing for the She-Ra fandom because I can't get over Catradora and how cute they are even when they're babies.

It was already late for Adora to be wandering around the Fright Zone corridors but that was what she'd been doing whenever she was bored for as long as she could remember.

It's not like she could get in trouble since it technically wasn't curfew time yet, not even dinner time, but she wasn't supposed to nose around either, specially not around the Black Garnet Chamber.

She'd always found the place fascinating and growing up in the Horde meant all the bravest cadets had tried to sneak in at least once to take a look at the weird and creepy looking runestone.

Adora knew she should be careful and avoid actually entering the room since Shadow Weaver was always near. All the other kids used to say she treated Adora different but she didn't understand what they meant and why they sometimes made fun of her for that. She didn't do anything different, she tried to be a good cadet and a good student. It was the least she could do since they took her in. She was careful because she knew she wasn't like some of the other cadets, she didn't have a family to go back to. That's why she tried her best.

She was friendly and had tried to join the others in a stupid game after today's training but after a while she noticed they didn't really pay attention to her so she decided to go for a walk until it was dinner time.

And so she found herself drawn to the Black Garnet Chamber for some reason. She was about to walk by it when she heard something.

The place was usually dead silent even when their commander was inside so that was strange. Unsure but way too curious to let it go she stepped inside and looked around quickly.

She'd only been there a couple of times when she was so little she barely remembered. Some of her memories were kind of foggy sometimes but she was just a kid after all, she didn't have many memories apart from the training and the lessons. She heard that noise again. It sounded a lot like scratching.

And that is when she noticed a little cardboard box in the corner.

Adora looked back to the door to make sure no one was watching and very slowly stepped closer to the shaking box. Cautious and aware that the noise was probably coming from a living thing, she stopped when she caught sight of two furry ears moving.

"Um...hi?" she whispered, afraid she was walking into something dangerous.

The noise stopped and she took it as a good sign. She kept moving closer until she was able to see more of those ears and a lot of brunette hair.

The creature inside the box turned around just as Adora was starting to bend to have a closer look and she was met with fierce claws and a loud hissing sound. Fortunately she was quick to step back, so quick she actually landed on her butt.

"Ouch."

The box had fallen forward too and Adora was face to face with the little cat-like girl watching her with a frown. Two different eye colors stared directly at her.

She was really shocked to find someone in a box in Shadow Weaver's favorite chamber. This was probably the most exciting thing that had ever happened during one of her walks. Maybe Shadow Weaver rescued her? Maybe she was a new cadet?

Adora got back onto her feet and the other girl sat back inside the box. She didn't look scared but she didn't look like she wanted to get out of there either.

"Hi," Adora tried again, more friendly this time. "Who are you?"

The feline kept looking at her but didn't say a word. Adora tried to get closer and was met with another hiss so she decided it was probably best to stay where she was.

"No, it's okay, 'm not going to hurt you."

She sat down crossed legged and stared at the girl. She wore red shorts and a simple white shirt that looked like it hadn't been washed in ages. Adora had so many questions.

They just stared at each other for a couple of minutes, Adora wondering if she could get her to talk while the other girl appeared to be wary of everything surrounding her.

"Shadow Weaver bring you here?" she whispered, only to be met with more silence and a little twitch of those ears. "Tall masked lady in red, do you know her?"

The kid seemed to understand because she tried to retreat back into her box but she didn't have any more room to do so.

"Okay, okay, you don't like her," Adora nodded in understanding. "What is your name? My name is Adora."

Silence. Again. Adora sighed and chewed on her lower lip.

She had never met someone who didn't talk to her. Maybe this girl couldn't talk at all? She was about to ask her when the alarm that announced dinner time went off. The other kid hissed again and covered her ears.

"That is just an alarm. It means food time," She wondered if she could hear her but she kept talking anyway. "I have to go now, but I will be back, promise."

Adora took one last look at the shaking kid still covering her ears before leaving the Black Garnet Chamber. She felt terrible leaving but she knew she would be in deep trouble if she didn't show up to dinner.

...

By the time she sneaked out and went back most of the cadets were getting ready for bed so she tried to be as quiet as possible.

She tiptoed around the door and tried to listen for any sounds that could mean someone was already in but there was only silence. No one had seen Shadow Weaver today, she had specifically asked the other kids, so at least that was a good thing.

Careful not to scare her again, Adora walked in and approached the box that was now facing the nearest wall.

"Hi, I came back" she said.

She waited for a long moment until the box shook a little and the new kid sticked her head out.

She seemed almost surprised to see her again but she wouldn't leave the box. Adora smiled because one of her ears was still hidden and it was funny to see only one ear twitching from that angle.

Then she remembered dinner and the grey ration bar she had brought with her. She extended her hand and showed it to the other girl.

"Here, are you hungry?"

The feline fixed her gaze on the food but made no attempt to take it. Adora took a few steps forward.

"It's good, see?"

The girl sniffed the air as if to check that it was actually real food and just when she seemed to slowly be getting out of the box the door opened and Shadow Weaver strolled in like a hurricane.

"Adora! What are you doing here?"

Both kids jumped and the unknown girl went back to hidding inside her box. Adora turned around and the ration bar fell from her hands.

"I...I was..." She really had no idea what to say and Shadow Weaver didn't look pleased to see her at all. "I heard a noise and she... is- is she a new cadet?"

The old woman looked at the cardboard box for a second before making a disapproving sound.

"No. She is not. And you shouldn't be here. You know very well cadets are not allowed in here."

Shadow Weaver sounded pissed but Adora knew she could still ask some questions.

"Why is she here? Where is she going to go?"

"That is not your concern. But just so you know, she will be leaving in the morning and she will not be our problem anymore. Now, go back to the dorms, Adora."

"But she can stay! She is my friend!"

Shadow Weaver looked at her like she was insane. Adora approached the box until she could see the other kid's ears again, obviously paying close attention to the conversation. Adora crouched down and nodded as if she was figuring something out by herself.

"She can be a good cadet, she can stay!"

"Adora. I said no. We don't need this...this thing here."

"She is not a thing, she is my friend! We will be good for the Horde, please, Shadow Weaver!"

The woman seemed to be losing her nerves but Adora was stubborn and she wasn't afraid of her. The other kid had moved a little and was now looking at the blonde while still hiding from Shadow Weaver's sight. She seemed both scared and interested in what was going on.

"Adora..."

"Please, please! You can't kick her out"

Shadow Weaver sighed and walked around the Black Garnet with a hand on her temple.

Adora moved even closer to the box. And after what seemed like an eternity the commander spoke again, sounding like she already regretted every word.

"You will be responsible for her, do you understand what that means?" Adora gasped and looked like she'd just been promoted but before she could say anything the woman continued. "If I see her doing anything she shouldn't be doing I will punish you both. And be glad I'm not punishing you for sneaking into this chamber. I did not expect this from you, Adora."

The blonde kid nodded and looked at the ground pretending to be ashamed. She looked over at her new friend and smiled at the confused expression on her face.

"Now get out of here. Quick!"

Adora knew better than to keep pushing Shadow Weaver’s buttons so she gave the other kid a look and hoped that she’d understand she needed to follow her out.

She was beaming with joy when she run to the door, hearing the feline running right behind her, her little cardboard box long forgotten.

…

Adora was out of breath by the time they reached the dorms’ door.

She stopped to calm her beating heart and looked at the little girl that had also stopped running and was simply looking in the direction of the large room with curious eyes. Her tail was slowly moving from one side to the other. Adora had never met anyone like her before.

A few cadets who were still up looked at them but it wasn’t that rare to have a new kid from time to time.

"This is where we sleep," Adora said, ignoring the whispering and walking straight to her own bunk. She lay down on the mattress and let out a long sigh. She hadn’t realized how tired she was, too many emotions running through her small body.

Her new friend was standing next to the bunk, clearly uncomfortable and still looking around.

"The top bunk is empty."

The girl looked at her but still didn’t say anything or made any attempt to move.

"Uh…bed?" Adora pointed at it feeling kind of stupid. She didn’t understand what was up with her. "You’re not tired?"

Still nothing.

"Okay…well…’m just going to rest my eyes…um, hey, don’t…don’t leave, okay? We would get in so much trouble."

She really didn’t mean to fall asleep so soon, or fall sleep at all, but she did. And when she opened her eyes again she did it with a gasp as if she’d suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be watching over the new cadet. Barely a few minutes had passed by and she sat up so quick her head started to spin.

When her eyes could focus again she saw her new feline kid was still there. She was sitting at the end of Adora’s bed. She hadn’t moved, she wasn’t wandering around or getting them into trouble.

She was just sitting there, twitching her ears at every little sound she heard.

"Oh," She turned her head when she heard Adora’s voice, yellow and blue eyes almost shinning in the dark. "You’re still not sleepy?"

"…"

"You don’t want to be my friend?“

There, she said it. She’d been thinking about it for hours.

Just then something changed in the other girl’s eyes. Her gaze seemed softer for a second until she looked away and huffed a little.

Adora pouted.

She liked making friends, she was a friendly person and she thought the ears and the tail were funny and cute. But she knew not everyone wanted to be her friend, no matter how hard she tried. It was okay.

"Well…I’m going to sleep now. Good night…"

She was about to close her eyes again when she heard it. A whisper, a little raspy voice.

"Catra."

Adora stayed silent for a moment.

"That your name?" She whispered back.

Catra nodded and curled up with her knees against her chest. Adora gave her a big smile, her heart fluttered.

"Okay well… Welcome to the Horde, Catra."


End file.
